Page 55 of Curse of Ancients

“I bet, but it is your house now.” Harlow hugged Carleigh again. “Tell everyone bye for me. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Will do. Love you, Low.”

“Love you too, C.”

Carleigh closed the door behind Harlow, then leaned her back against it. The gods sure weren’t making it easy on them. At least Bayu was of this realm. Carleigh couldn’t imagine how Harlow and Cailín were going to manage with Rhoan and Thran being on Evyndral. She couldn’t blame them, though. If it were her, she wouldn’t want to move somewhere her family couldn’t readily visit. At least if Bayu had needed to relocate back to Anjailang Island, they could travel back and forth even if it took twenty-four hours. Reaching out with her shifter hearing, she eavesdropped on her mate and Gemi. Since they were still deep in conversation, Carleigh locked the front door. She then stepped out back and told him she was going to bed. “Please set the alarm when you come inside.”

“Is Harlow gone?”

“Yes, she just left.”

“Gemi and I can talk more tomorrow.” Bayu rose to his feet and helped Gemi to hers. Silas appeared from close to the pool house and followed. Once everyone was inside, Carleigh locked the door and set the alarm.

Carleigh left the light on over the stove. “Gemi, please make yourself at home. If you get up before anyone else, help yourself to anything you want. The coffee maker is set, and it will begin brewing at five. If you want it before then, just press the start button. Or, if you prefer tea like Bayu, we have an electric kettle, and the tea bags are in the pantry.”

“I appreciate your hospitality, Carleigh.”

“This is your home now, but you’re welcome. Also, until we can take you shopping, I placed some of my clothes on your dresser. They might not be your style, but you won’t have to wear the same thing every day.”

The three headed upstairs. Gemi stopped at Juni’s door and peeked in. “Does Juniper sleep with him every night?”

“Not all night. She’ll go get in her bed at some point. We leave our door cracked so he can come climb in bed with us if he wants. He’s still getting used to being in a strange place, so we’re all doing what we can to make it an easy adjustment.”

“Bayu was right; you and your family are amazing.” After another long look at the cub, Gemi said, “Good night.”

“Night.” Carleigh and Bayu crossed the hall to their room and went through their routines. After climbing under the covers, Carleigh laid her head on his chest. “Did you have a good talk?”

“I would not call it good. Most of it was difficult to hear, but it was necessary. She didn’t have any knowledge of my father’s duties as Nuhuala. He wouldn’t talk to her or my mother about that. He did task her with being the keeper of the ancient scrolls, and as such, she didn’t live near him. She rarely spoke to him. When he learned of the Black Lotus being near, he sent Juni to live with Gemi to protect him in case something happened to my father. He is the one who changed Juni’s birth certificate. My mother was heartbroken, and it caused a rift in their marriage, but she and Kiki were allowed to visit Juni. For whatever reason, Father didn’t believe anyone would come after Kiki since she was the second-born child.”

Bayu paused, turning out the lamp, then rested his cheek against Carleigh’s hair. “Gemi raised Juni this last year, but she did not tell him she was his mother. She merely stated she was his Gemi. If Baekyo is this powerful god, why would he demand that a family be torn apart? At least I was eighteen when I left. I want the witches to help me get Tiger back, but I have to be honest, my Sayang, I do not want to be Nuhuala. Not if putting my duties above you and Juni are what will be required.”

Carleigh ghosted her fingertips across Bayu’s chest. “Are you allowed to refuse your duties?”

“I do not know. But the sooner the curse is lifted, the sooner I can read the ancient documents. If they do not give me the answers I seek, I will request that Rhoan reach out to King Mórdrake and get the answers for me.”

Chapter 19

Bayu’s breakfast went untouched. He hated wasting food, but his stomach was in knots. He did manage to drink the tea Gemi set in front of him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the twins and Nekoma, but he couldn’t help but worry that the counter curse was a lie. If the mages were as good as they appeared to be, why would they need to write it down? After saying good morning to the twins and Lilly, as well as being introduced to Dominic, Bayu pulled Luna aside and asked her that question.

“Spells and potions are written down once the formula is exact. That type of magic can be a lot of trial and error. If the Black Lotus mages in Asia were the ones to curse you, then they are most likely the ones to come up with the counter spell,” Luna explained.

“But why would they have a counter spell in the first place? They cursed me for a reason.”

“Maybe they thought to capture you, then once they had you, they would counteract the curse so that you’d be at your full power.”

Bayu accepted her explanation, but he was still leery.

They were eating at the dining room table since there were so many in the house. Bayu noticed Kat was quieter than usual, and Julian kept glancing at his mate, but she was ignoring him. Dominic was quite the character, and Bayu had to work hard not to stare. Major and Tabitha dropped Nekoma off on their way to the office instead of him portalling in to save his energy. Major was no worse the wear from being zapped by the mage. Silas was the only one not at the table. He was standing guard outside, against Carleigh’s wishes. She assured him the cameras would catch any intruders, then he reminded her how the mages had hidden from view while at the safehouse waiting on Bayu. The male had a bedroom upstairs, but Bayu had only seen him use it once. He was up before everyone else, and Bayu appreciated his diligence.

“Bruvver, eat.” Juni held out a strawberry slice, and Bayu leaned over and took it from him. Juni clapped, and Bayu couldn’t help but grin. He also couldn’t imagine loving a child more, even if they were his own. Juni had a strange start to his life, not knowing he had parents, and Bayu was unsure how to talk to the toddler about that, or if he should.

During Bayu’s chat with Gemi the night before, they broached the subject, and Gemi assured him she wanted him and Carleigh to raise Juni as theirs. She would always love the boy and help as much as they allowed, but she was not his mother. She said Juni deserved to have two parents, and now that she had met Carleigh’s family, Gemi knew in her heart putting Bayu’s name on the birth certificate had been the right thing to do. Since Carleigh was an expert in all things computer, she would be able to alter the birth certificate to show she was Juni’s mother, not Gemi. Bayu had no idea how his mate could manipulate the document, but he trusted her. He had seen what she did with his father’s money, now his money.

Bayu was good at investing, and he could use the appropriate programs on a computer, but Carleigh, Harlow, and Julian understood coding, something Bayu couldn’t fathom understanding. His mate was brilliant. She was gorgeous. But best of all, she had a good heart. That mattered more to him than her looks or her brain. She reminded him of his mother, and he knew Juni would be in the right hands should something ever happen to Bayu.

“Bewwy?” Juni held out another, but Bayu shook his head.

“Little cubs need their berries. You eat it.”